Severus Snape & The Fawn
by airyjane
Summary: A Severus Snape and student love story. Follow Severus as he develops a relationship with daughter of Voldemort, as they forge her place in the wizarding war.
1. Chapter 1

She looked at her reflection in the mirror pleasantly satisfied with the lacking resemblance to her father. Her features were by far softer than his. Instead of his sharp jaw line, hers was rather round and his straight pointed nose was nothing like hers which turned up slightly at the end. However, their was one thing that set her greatly apart from her father, her eyes. Instead of the dark black holes he had, a pair of green irises reflected from the mirror. Eyes she had gotten from the mother she had never known.

Since her birth she had never seen as far as her bedroom window, because she had been moved around frequently, you could say she had seen as far as many bedroom windows. Even when she did move from place to place her father took discretion of utmost importance in her transportation. She would endure all of her journeys from an enchanted trunk with the inside the size of a small hotel room. She lived a lonely existence in her bedroom, with seldom visitors for most of her young life, only a few of her father's followers even aware of her existence. As far as she knew she was hidden from the world and the world was hidden from her.

Despite being a witch herself her father absolutely forbid her to practice magic. She had never been taught nor given a wand for reasons her father would refuse to explain to her. However for being in constant isolation the girl kept a rather cheery disposition, she loved to sing and make music. She spent most of her time making up tunes and writing them into songs, a pass time she kept utterly out of her fathers knowledge knowing he would not think fondly of it. As she got older she began to explore things her father could have cursed her for, but her curiosity began to shake her from her tight constrictions she had once cooperatively accepted. She realized she could move smaller things without touching them, or even using a wand. She could raise objects around her room as if she was defying gravity around her, or beckon things from across the room. The more she practiced the better she got.

A day after her seventeenth birthday, feeling particularly restless on this particular day. She craved to be outside, feeling the warm dry grass under her feet and her skin vulnerable to the hot August sun. Wrapped up in wishes to indulge her whims she magically undid the enchanted locks on her window and opened it wide to let in the warm summer breeze she had desired to feel for so long. While resting her hands on the window sill she looked out far onto the rolling hills and trees which went on for miles, she desperately looked for a sign of any other person or household even though she knew there would be none. As a warm breeze whispered through her window and shook the old maple tree whose branches swayed a few feet from her bedroom. She smiled as a maple key floated in the breeze and tickled her cheek, enjoying to contact of something outside to her own skin she used her magic to guide hundreds of the whimsical seeds through her bedroom window. She twirled through them as they danced around her room in circles like an endless rain fall. Her white airy cotton skirt almost blown up to her waist with the gael from her spinning and maple keys spiralling around her. Dancing to her own tune she felt happy, though confined in her room, she found happiness. Suddenly the door crashed open and she immediately stopped in place, fearing of her father.

As she froze the keys around her lost control of the circular pattern they once held and instead dropped all around her chaotically, whizzing to the floor like hundreds of tiny helicopters. She looked into the eyes of her visiter. It was not her father, but instead an interesting looking man. His eyes were the first thing she noticed. He held her eyes just as she did his, they looked black, yet they didn't hold the coldness like her fathers did. He had black messy hair that fell at his chin that made his pale skin almost grey. She felt a particular warmth about him, he was not like the other men her father had around. She looked for the mark on his arm, but it was covered with the long sleeve of his black robes that touched the floor. Still completely focused on the girl he swiftly swung up his hand, she flinched, but soon relaxed as she realized he just grabbed one of the hundreds of maple keys from the air. He examined it as he gentle moved it through his fingers, then looked back at her with the same curious expression he posed to the maple key.

She broke his gaze as her face became warm, it must have been from him and his warmness she thought. She started to become anxious and began straightening out her dress, dusting some of the loose keys from it. It was then that he spoke to her.

"My lady." he addressed. She was astounded by his voice. It was so deep yet enchanting.

"It is of my utmost pleasure to meet you my lady," he continued. She just stared blankly, that voice! It made her ears tingle. Every word sounded like a piece of music oozing with intellect and romance. She continued to stand in silence gawking at the man. She slowly granted him with a nod, reassuring him that she acknowledged his words to her.

"May I?" he asked, still standing in the door way, she nodded and gestured him inside her bedroom. He quietly clothed the door as she scrambled over to sit at the head of her bed. He stood at the end of her bed.

"I'm Severus," he told her.

"They call me Darling," she replied. He was taken aback by the sound of her voice. It wasn't what he had imagined it to sound like. He had in mind that her voice would sound fragile or tired, but it wasn't like that at all, maybe even the opposite. It was very clear, strong and even melodic. He had seen her before, from afar, when she was quite young, he would never had recognized her. Her body was far more curvaceous then he would have thought. She had the figure of a Greek statue. He couldn't help but notice her ample bosom behind the top of her dress, it made him frustrated at himself that he even took such notice in it. Her skin was milky white, and her midnight hair, it as so harsh against her gorgeous completion, that he recalled to have been from her father. What really caught him about her was those eyes. They made his heart skip. Seeing them again with such life behind them. His enchantment soon grew to guilt. Seeing her, knowing what he done to her, knowing what could happen, what she had already gone through, because of him.

"Your name is Darling?" he asked, as he had never been quite sure what Voldemort had named her.

"I don't think I have a name, that is just what I am called." she informed him.

"I see." he responded.

"Why have you come here Severus?" she asked curiously in a dreamy tone.

"To meet you my lady,"

"Well it seems as though you have managed to do just that. If you would like to stay and chat you can do so on one condition. So would you Severus? Would you like to enjoy my pleasantries?" He smirked at her wit.

"What is your desire my lady?" he asked straight, with a stir in his stomach about what she might want from him.

"Sit," she responded, gesturing to the end of her bed. He nodded and took a seat at the bottom of her bed. She moved closer to him, it made him nervous, he watched her crawl from the top where her pillows were towards him, as his heart began to quicken but soon relaxed and she stopped about a foot away from him. Being so close to her was very surreal to him. He analyzed every feature and every expression and hung on her every word, he had never felt his emotion slip from his control like they did around _her_. She leaned in closer and whispered, her words tickled his ear.

"Is he out there?" he felt her fear.

"No, he is not here, he won't be for a few days," he reassured her. She leaned back away from him and though for a moment.

"Is that really why you are here Severus, to watch me while he's gone?" she lightly questioned.

"Silly girl, you think I would ever be put down as far as such to be your babysitter?" he jeered back at her, sightly regretting his harsh tone. To his surprise she just giggled. God did she have her mother's laugh. But as she continued he noticed their was something quite different about hers, again it held this dreamy, whimsical quality, as if she had lived her life in the clouds. After all she had been through, he couldn't understand how.

"What do you do Severus?" she asked still slightly giggling.

"I'm a professor," he stated.

"Of what?" she loudly questioned.

"I'm a professor of Potions, at Hogwarts."

"What is Hogwarts?" she asked and his heart dropped. If her father knew he had mentioned Hogwarts to her he would either be dead or at the end of a torturous Cruciatus Curse for sure. However Dumbledore had a plan for her, but unfortunately her father, the Dark Lord, also had a plan for her. There was a prophecy made, the morning before the Potters' were murdered.

 _"Another is to be born to the mother that defied the Dark Lord thrice. The child will also hold power untold to the Dark Lord. A power this world's generation has not seen. A heart to hold the fate of the new world. A mind the Dark Lord shall fear."_

This was the prophecy that stirred Voldemort to no end. He knew he had to destroy the Potters. However, he was attracted to this power this other promised child was to bestow. After being aware of such power, his hunger for it drove him mad. His envy made him desperate, and his lack of control made him restless. He needed Lily dead.


	2. Chapter 2

I remember the conversation, the moment it happened I knew I would never forget it. I knew I had to do anything I could to keep her alive. I approached the Dark Lord as he sat in his den. I knocked at the door, my fist quivering.

"Enter" I heard from the other side of the door. I obeyed. He smoothly turned around to face me, with dark eyes staring out from snake like slits.

"Severus, what brings you here this evening," he questioned with a smirk on his face.

"My Lord, it is in regards to the Potters, my lord." I said, keeping my nerves completely undetected.

"Yes," he replied seeming both annoyed and interested.

"My Lord it has been brought to my intention that you plan on killing the Potters, is this true my lord?" I asked.

"Yes, you are aware of why I must Severus,"

"I do, my lord, but have you considered keeping the girl alive?" I smoothly suggested.

"Severus, why on Earth would I do such a thing, and let that _mudblood whore_ get herself knocked up again to destroy me!?" he hissed. Those words stung, my heart started beating faster as I grew anxious."

"My lord, I don't mean to question your decisions, and it is not my intention to persuade you, the thought had just crossed my mind, what if this second child was on your side?" I could see something in his eyes. He was thinking. A slight smirk grew on his face.

"Go on," he pushed.

"My Lord, I had just thought that if the girl were to be kept alive to have this second child, you could take it, raise it, mold it. If it had the kind of power that the prophecy speaks, with him my lord, you could be unstoppable."

"Thank you Severus, you may go." he dismissed me. Unaware if I had altered his plan, I left.

I was so blinded by love that not once did I consider the magnitude of what I had suggested. I did not even consider how terrible it were to be if Voldemort had that kind of power, or what would become of the child. I even failed to consider what Lily would have to go through to conceive such a child. After this thought I immediately felt nauseous. What have I done?

She was separated in a little cell with bars, holding on to them, as if to break free. I came up close to them and spoke quietly to her, hoping to be close enough to smell her once more. "Sev where is Harry?" she pleaded through tears. I couldn't stand to look at her like this. Her usually tidy iridescent hair was chaotic and dull. Her face was red and glistening with tears. I gestured at her for silence, as I couldn't have the Dark Lord knowing I had come to the cellar to see her.

"He survived, he is being taken care of," I spoke faintly. She weeped with relief.

"Lily, are you awar-" she cut me off.

"I know what he plans to do with me Sev," she sucked back more tears. I closed my eyes trying to get the thought out of my mind. she stated bravely. She was the greatest woman I had ever known. She didn't have a selfish bone in her body. Here is a woman about to be violated by the most monstrous of men and still put everyone else's concern before her own. I quickly grabbed her hand. She looked into my eyes with her beautiful green eyes that had haunted me each day since the first time I looked into them.

"I'm so sorry Lily, for back then and for all of this" a tear fell down my check, I could tell she noticed.

"You are the strongest person I have ever met. Your children will know how their mother was the most fearless, clever and virtuous witch the world has ever seen." I choked through my pain for her.

She put her lips to the hand I had held hers with.

"Thank you Severus. Please protect them."

"Always" I told her. I quickly apparated after meeting her gaze once more.

I had been instructed to brew one of the darkest potions ever known by Merlin. This was much darker than anything I had ever created, it called for many obscure ingredients, I knew what I was making after he brought me one of the final ingredients, unicorn blood. As I poured in the silver, thick blood the potion turned completely white, as pale as fallen snow. The dark lord glanced over my shoulder.

It's time. he said.

"Bring that filthy mudblood in here," he demanded.


	3. Chapter 3

"What is Hogwarts?" her question still rang in my ears. I knew it was time to move forward with the plan, but I still felt nervous being the one to expose it to her.

"It's a Wizarding school, to teach students many areas of magic," I responded. Her eyes grew wild.

"So you're good at magic Severus?" she asked.

"Yes," I simply replied, my mind still racing wondering what she wanted from me. A soft smirk grew on her face.

"Can you make sounds trapped in a room?" she asked. I was taken aback by her question. What in Merlin's name was this girl wanting to do that she would need a sound proofing charm? w

"Yes, may I ask why?" She broke eye contact and looked off into what appeared to be deep thought, when she returned the gaze, it was with undertones of skepticism.

"May I?" she asked, holding out her hand. I looked at her, confused. With a nod she gestured me to take her hand. As I did so, I felt her overwhelm me. At first I thought she was using Legilimency, but it wasn't my mind, or memories she was reading, it was deeper. It all stopped as she gently let go of my hand. All I could do was stare at her intently, complexed, as if she was a jigsaw puzzle still in pieces. She never broke my gaze, she smiled to herself, and took my hand again. This time, was unlike the last. She got up from the bed and guided me to what looked like a closet door. She opened the door to reveal just that, a closet. A few pillows and blankets scattered the floor, and what I recognized to be a muggle television set will a box on top of it, with wires like vines trailing down the back.

"I would like you to cast a spell that will trap the sounds in this room please," she asked, looking up at me. Standing beside her I realized she wasn't a little girl whatsoever. She stood quite tall, only about half a foot shorter than himself. She wasn't too thin by any means either, with her pale skin overlaying her curvy stature she reminded him of a goddess depicted by the ancient greeks. He took out his wand and pointed it at the closet. She looked on with a gaze of amazement.

"Insulato" a light from his wand encompassed the closet in a cocoon like glow, and as it spread it slowly faded.

"Well," he started, and gestured for her to enter. She hesitated, but made her way into the room. She turned to me and mouthed,

"Did it work?" I smiled and put my hand to my ear and shrugged as if to tell her I couldn't hear a word she said. Immediately the most gleeful and beautiful smile covered her face. She then went to the television box and pressed a few buttons and came from the closet, delighted that the closet remained silent.

"That is brilliant!" she gushed.

"Thank you ever so much Severus!" She smiled at me. She was about to say something, then hesitated and composed herself all in one motion.

"Wanna see something?" she asked smiling. She flashed her eyes to meet mine. To say the least, I was mesmerized. All I could do was nod my head.

...

She led him into the closet, and directed him to sit beside her on one of the pillows facing the muggle box. The closet wasn't the largest space, he couldn't help but notice her leg touching his.

She pressed one of the buttons on the muggle box and a film played. It was a muggle film no doubt. A woman strolled through green hilltops singing a melodic piece that was unfamiliar to his ears. She must have heard it a myriad of times as she sang every note and lyric perfectly under hear breath as the film played on. He couldn't help but force back a smile at the sound of her sweet voice.

Severus came back to visit her each day for the rest of the week. She showed him a few of the other muggle objects she had come across in the room she was being kept in. A few children's books and a book of names made him come to the conclusion that the room had once been a muggle nursery. Her father would be back that evening, and his job was to report back to the Dark Lord any interesting magical qualities about the girl, however he knew she was not exhibiting the type of advanced magic the Dark Lord was looking for. She was able to perform some wandless magic, however it was nothing special, or advanced, just emotional movement of objects, which was very common in most young wizards before they are properly trained. He pressed her about the possibility of visions, she claimed she had none of the kind. He even tried to coach her through some legilimency, as she displayed some kind of reading abilities, but his efforts were futile. Other than the effect she herself had on him, she was a rather ordinary witch. A part of him was relieved that being ordinary would keep her out of the Dark Lord's plans for her in the war, but he feared for what would happen if she was of no use to him.

Still, with no extraordinary magic being displayed by the girl, his fear for her safety grew as he dreaded her fate once the Dark Lord was aware she would not be as useful to his war like he expected from the prophecy. As he spent more time with the girl, it became more apparent that he couldn't lose her. It was as if he was reliving his worst nightmare a second time as he apparated from the darkness of Voldemort's mansion to the fresh outdoors, into an open courtyard outside of Hogwarts. He stormed through the castle. To others in the hallway, it appeared as if he was floating by the way his long black robes hung to the ground as he strode through the hallway towards Dumbledore's office. At the entrance to the office he whispered the password and moved up the stairs. He took a deep breath before entering.

"Ah, Severus," spoke the old wizard. Silence stood between them as Dumbledore took a few glances at the portraits to make sure they were alone.

"I need your help again, she's not what he had planned for her to be, she is not safe."

"What is she like?" Dumbledore asked in a soft tone that dripped with curiosity. Severus couldn't help but let a few tears escape from his swollen eyes as the vision of the girl jolted through his mind.

"She's like her."

"Lily?" Dumbledore asked astonished. Severus nodded.


	4. Chapter 4

**Special Thanks to Ana (** Poseidon's Slytherclaw Erudite **) for your review, it's great to hear from you and to know that this has been entertaining you so far! Starting a new story can be rather difficult, especially when your not sure if you are going in the right direction with it, so thank you for your comments and follows.**

 **Now on with the show.**

...

He waited in the dark foyer of the mansion for the Dark Lord to appear. As his dark mark burned, a black fog swirled around a few feet in front of his feet and before him Voldemort appear.

"Hello Severus," he greeted in a raspy voice.

"My Lord," Severus bowed.

"Well Severus, I have already borrowed enough of your time, the girl, what powers does she posses?

"Well my lord, she does poses magical abilities, though she is clearly untrained of course."

"Yes Severus, but does she manifest the extraordinary?"

"My lord it is quite possible," he slowly stammered. He could tell Voldemort was growing inpatient with him.

"Does she, or does she not Severus." Voldemort snapped. Severus, startled by his quick aggression, composed himself.

"From what I have observed, at this moment, it would seem that she does not, my lord." He finished his sentence with is eyes to the floor.

" How unfortunate, Nagini!" he commanded.

"The girl is yours, my treat," Severus' heart fell in an instant, he couldn't help but release a broken "no" from his lips. No matter the consequences he would not, _could not_ leave her to die by such a fate. He couldn't imagine living knowing her beautiful light had been put out.

"What was that Severus?" Voldemort questioned. Severus stood silent, trying to come up with something to say, but was interrupted before he had the chance to speak.

"Do you care for the girl Severus?" Voldemort questioned again with a complacent look on his face.

" _Crucio!_ " Voldemort shouted pointing his wand at Severus who in response dropped to his knees, moaning in pain.

"Do you love her Severus? Has the dirty old man been becoming too fond of her? is that right?" Severus, almost weeping in pain, fought to spit his words out of his mouth."

"I am fond of her." Severus inhaled aggressively as Voldemort dropped the curse and instead started laughing.

"Well Severus if you are so fond of her, I will do you a favor, I will make sure you are the last one she sees before she dies, as you will be the one to kill her." The tears Severus fought so hard to keep back during the Cruciatus were now finding there way through his squinted eyelids.

"Wormtail!" Voldemort shouted.

"Bring me my daughter," he commanded with a smile.

"Please my lord." Severus pleaded. Voldemort's attention was drawn.

"It is not my desire to go against your word my lord. She is lovely, it would be such a waste of loveliness. And she is still young my lord, with a little bit of training, she could become what the prophecy foretells." Severus pleaded calmly with the serpent like wizard. Voldemort took a step towards Severus, with his wand stretched in his long spider-like fingers.

"Severus, you are brave to defy my word. You have been loyal to me for many years, and I find your honesty quite honorable. As a favor for your loyalty Severus, I will spare her. You may have her to yourself on the condition that if she begins to display great power, she will be returned to me." The world felt like it was lifting from Severus' shoulders.

"Thank you my lord." he bowed as Wormtail rushed back into the room looking nervous.

"My lord," Wormtail began skittishly.

"She is gone."

"Gone?" Voldemort repeated with a fury escalating from the first syllable of the word to the very end.

He turned to Snape with his wand pointed.

"Legilimens!" it was at that instant Severus felt Voldemort beginning to penetrate his mind, he quickly began to pull images from his own memories, ones that he wanted Voldemort to see. He played the warm memory of seeing her smile at him for the first time, or the moment when she grabbed his hand.

With that, he felt Voldemort release his mind, and was satisfied by the job he did. Voldemort smirked and gave a single breathy laugh at the realization that one of his most prudish and conservative followers was quite taken with this young lady.

"She is quite too young for you, you know Severus,"

A rush of heat flushed over Severus's face, and with that Voldemort flew up to the girls room, with Severus and Wormtail close behind. When Voldemort soared through the open door to her bedroom, he was greeted, not with the presence of his daughter, but with the gentle breeze of an open window.


	5. Chapter 5

She sat on her bed with a dusty old cardboard box on her lap, looking through the contents she was already overly familiar with. She had discovered this box a few days after moving in. It almost appeared to be hidden, as it was pushed to the very back of the top shelf of her closet. In the box was a various selection of muggle items, a couple of novels that she had read over and over. Her favourites of the lot being Winnie the Pooh and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. She loved the escape as much as she envied the characters who left their lives of the mundane and were thrust into the extraordinary.

The box also held some tapes, her favourites amongst those being The Sound of Music and Mary Poppins. She yearned for Mary Poppins or Maria to be her nanny, to take care of her, and to show her places and things she had never seen before. She was also very attracted to the idea of having such a large family like the Von Trapps', always having someone around to talk and laugh with. She also thought it would be great fun to have others around to sing and harmonize even, having another voice compliment her own, weaving together to create a glorious sounds. It was at this moment when she heard a quick wrap at her window. She was one to startle easily, and in response she held her breathe and kept every part of her as still as she could until her mind could catch up to her rapidly beating heart. After a second knock on the window, she gained the composure needed to address the sound. She tip toed from the bed over to the window. Her eyes grew. There, in front of her window was two men sitting in what appeared to be a floating orange muggle car. It was a silly looking car, with small white rimmed tires and the roof made of a tasseled orange and white striped fabric. The man in the passenger seat had a kind but tired face, with warm honey eyes shining right below his scruffy brown hair. He smiled at her, and it was just enough to distract her from the slightly older orange haired man at the wheel.

"Sorry Miss, but we couldn't manage to find a car park near here." The brown haired man said. She smiled and giggled softly.

"My name is Remus Lupin, and this is Arthur Weasley," he gestured to the orange haired man who smiled with a quick wave.

"It has come to our attention that you may need a little rescuing. We are here to take you somewhere a little more hospitable, if you would like, that is."

It was like her wishes were finally answered. She was nervous. She had thought about something like this happening for most of her life, but now that it actually had her hesitancy was a surprise to her. What if this was a trap? Or if these men were evil wizards? 'That's a silly assumption' she thought, if these men were evil, she would have met them before, nor would they ever do something like this without her father knowing. The only thing she could do was reach out her hand to Remus to feel his intentions. The convenience of being a witch. she thought. Her hand met his in the halfway space between her windows and that of the car's. In his hand she felt the same warmth she saw in his eyes. Compassion and kindness. She immediately felt a sense of security with the man, a feeling she had never really felt in anyone, with the exception of Severus, of course. He was just about to pull her into the car, when she suddenly stopped.

"Can I bring something?" she asked, still in his soft grip.

"Of course, but we must be quick," he said with a smile and let go of her hand. She bounced back to her bed to grab the box filled with her muggle things, and passed it through the window to Remus. He shrunk it with a quick spell, and then opened the car door and grabbed her hand again. She loved the feeling of holding Remus's hand, the touch of his tough and smooth skin was so foreign to her, and that intrigued her greatly .

"Ready love?" he asked as she braced herself to climb through the window.

"Uh huh," she nodded and climbed through, sitting on the ledge to collect her balance and then was pulled into Remus's arm. With little space in the wicker vehicle she nervously straddled the man, before awkwardly making her way into the backseat with blush heating her face.

Once their road trip was underway things were quiet at first, as she took in the feeling of being out of her father's hold. She looked out the window and for the first time appreciated how wonderful it was to be such a small part of the huge world that was rolling by underneath them. She couldn't help but hold back a smile or her excitement.

"This is fantastic," she gushed, in awe of the view from the open edge of the small convertible.

"What is this thing?" she asked about the car.

"This is a 1959 Fiat Jolly, but you see they aren't usually made to fly" Arthur responded.

"Yes, I expected that was the case " she nodded.

"It's enchanted," Arthur, glancing at Remus as if looking for approval whether she would understand the magical term. He gestured back to continue.

"Yes, well I initially got it to learn more about muggle vehicles, see I had a Ford Anglia that I had managed to enchant as well, and when that one bit the dust I thought I would try it again with something a little smaller, a little more European, you know?"

"I do see the appeal sir, how long does something like this take?" she asked.

"I mean the flying part isn't too difficult, it's the invisibility that gets a little bit tricky."

"This thing can be invisible!?" she questioned excitedly. Arthur and Remus both laughed.

"You didn't think we would just be coming to your rescue by flying you away in this bright orange car in the sky?" He laughed. She giggled.

"We are invisable right now!?" She exclaimed, asking the men. They both said yes in unison.

"How fascinating! Well I guess that makes sense." Remus looked back and smiled at her, which made her face feel warmer.

"So where are we going?" she asked to break the silence.

"Well," Arthur continues.

"We are taking you somewhere we are certain the Dark Lord is unaware of, that way he won't be able to find you if and when he goes looking."

She nodded. Remus turned around to face her in the back seat.

"How much do you know about your father, love?" Remus asked casually, either hiding his nerves, or actually very calm about the situation.

"I know he is heartless, his skin is so cold there is no way blood could be flowing through his veins." She began, as her bouncy voice lost it's spring. She looked him straight in the eyes, with an intensity he hadn't yet seen in her.

"He is a monster, not my father." she concluded. Remus rested his hand comfortingly on her knee.

"We are not defined by what we come from," he assured with a soft smile as he gazed into her eyes, every so familiar, yet they carried a charm that he had never been aware of in Lily's, that intrigued him beyond prudence.

"We want to stop him, we will, to put an end to his destruction and the fear and misery surrounding him and his followers, we have been fighting a longtime for it. It's not everyday you ask a daughter to help kill her father, but would you join us to stop him?"

"Your asking me to help you defeat him? I'm not even a real witch!" she exclaimed with a smile.

"But you do have real spirit about you," he smiled back with a chuckle.

"Yeah because that alway's been what counts in front of a curse!" she laughed.

"We will train you of course silly one." Remus responded as she flashed him a playfully annoyed glare.

"There is a plan for you love," he continued,

"if you agree to fighting for our side, that is." he asked, a seriousness returning to his voice.

" Of course Remus." she said, as a smile grew on both their faces.

"Very well," he said,

"Ah, we are just about there."


	6. Chapter 6

p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="0604e9a5e2ca5291b72ea1254f200c84"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"I am quite a procrastinator, so your comments really do push me to type this thing out. I've been having a lot of fun creating this character, fitting her into the Harry Potter world, and living vicariously through her, I hope you feel the same. Please enjoy this chapter and hopefully I hear from you soon! - /spanspan style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Airy C /em/span/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="b5f2bf0ae25452f27aee67e87f044ccf"Severus sat in silence unconsciously tapping his finger tips on the dark wood table stretched out before him. He and Dumbledore had been waiting for a few hours now at 12 Grimmauld Place to see if Lupin's and Weasley's rescue attempt had been sucsessful./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="89e639e11eb191cc1d9e79e0545968cd""Severus, there is still time, not a need to worry yet." Dumbledore assured him from the head of the table. Severus immediately stopped his tapping, annoyed that his anxiety had been exposed to the older wizard. With that, he slowly let his mind drift into a memory./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="1e2349659640907cfcb18f0cd6d59d27"He was laying in the grass, the warm blades tickling the skin of his wrists as they remained the only part of him his shirt did not cover. He looked up intobr style="box-sizing: border-box;" /the sky, but he was really focusing on red hair, that laid beside him, reflecting every ounce of sunlight. He was happy./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="68aceeae2c936caf72450d285a5d153d""Severus, do you ever want to have babies?" Lily asked him./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="ba6d5c1b07402253d2c2799c6ea697fe""The toy ones you play with or real ones?" He tried to clarify facetiously./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="4045b818b86c8c375c7669c1a3034247""No!" She giggled./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="9b6bd36cb593fac636ce779253a4d897""Real ones, when your a grown up."/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="6e1ec1351e274554194c11ae3d35edb9""I don't know" he said,/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="176b8552bf32c00d6b609464a8e8bfac""I have never really thought about it much. Have you Lily?"/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="bcd95987ad847dcfd59a2aff286f5227""I think about it a lot. I have decided I want to have a boy named Harry, and a little girl named Alice."/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="e1b28dbd80ec9dea82be0c2a415c1745""Those are muggle names Lily" after he said it she immediately slapped his arm. Not enough to hurt him of course, but it did startle him./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="310acf2713b36c8a0431aa71b89ea53e""There is no such thing as muggle names Severus, and either way, Alice was my grandmother's name, and I think it's pretty, don't you Severus? "/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="66f13cf1300ac455a34ffcfe0dbd4c13"" Yes, I suppose it is quite pretty."/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="6a71930c977ba9c067f592a9241ae39e"He snapped out of the memory when he heard the door unlock and footsteps, too many to be from just one person./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="e8e21ab44d7ed49940364bf84849c12c""Ahhhh" Dumbledore sighed happily at their arrival. The steps got louder and he knew they were of two people. Suddenly she appeared, holding on to Lupin's arm nervously. Almost immediately Severus stood up in shock at the sight of the girl. As she made eye contact, a small smile grew on both their faces. "Severus" fell from her lips almost inaudibly. She waved in a small gesture, in a way that told him it was just for him. A warmness started to fill him, it was a feeling that had become very foreign to him over the last few decades, but yet here it was in the presence of this young women. He nodded at her and then at Lupin, who had never seen this look of gratitude from the man in his whole life. After the sudden exchanges Severus awkwardly took his seat again. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /As he did so, Dumbledore rose from his chair and made his way over to the girl and Remus. He placed a hand lightly on his shoulder and expressed a job well done, and a gracious thank you. Remus nodded and took a seat at the table. The girl stood alone with the old wizard, feeling quite nervous and intimidated by his eccentric appearance. He softy took her hand and shook it./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="cdff54e0e4c8a742c677bac5f1239fbc"" it's my upmost pleasure to meet you, my name is Albus Dumbledore." she smiled and nodded, her nerves getting the best of her./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="380bcc2154008eab4b5e6259e794e7e1"" I know this must all be very overwhelming for you, and my apologies, however I hope you will grow to find it more comfortable here away from that bedroom of yours." he reassured her./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="dcd9db183d217f7c5eb33196bb7a0dbc""Yes, thank you so much, I feel I will too." she smiled and took a seat next to Remus across from Severus./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="596f407adb51b7e2d3972b6110ac2759""Hi," she said with a grin on her face that he could tell she was trying her best to hold back, he found it rather amusing that she couldn't find the power to do so./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="df5f5173bc4a43c779bb6490db30c8c4""Hi" he replied in his deep velvety tone that she found ever so enticing, that made her face heat with blush./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="f11967be5d313bf2e56d1049c5b15305""My dear, we are all members of an organization called the Order of the Phoenix," Dumbledore began,/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="76c1592b963bdda0a4dff707da0f42ab" "Our mission is to put an end to the tyranny and terrible crimes your father has committed. When we became aware of your situation we felt like it was both of our best interests to let you decide what side of this inevitable war you wish to be on." Dumbledore explained./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="c405e9cbb1691c954c75a2524bad7fcc""Severus has confided with us the time he spent with you and from what I understand, felt that getting away from the other Death Eaters and your father would be in your best interests, would you agree?" He inquired./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="16630e26e303f531eb6b7274a802dd9b""Absolutely, thank you ever so much." She smiled warmly to the two men./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="1f71b03719df16dc15a3f41553bda111""The pleasure is all ours ," Dumbledore said, returning her warmness./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="c8fb46f5ce08ba3e6d14ddb9f83bf045""To be honest Sir," she directed at the older wizard./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="c0ddf44609a1fcce79ca002ab0b8851a""I know the actions and intentions of the Dark Lord are extremely dark, I have seen him do horrible, horrible things to people, but I don't understand, what did they do for him to do that to them?" She asked./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="5f5d8b120b32594654c752c95117c6e3""Ahhh," Dumbledore began, coming to the realization that the girl was not aware of the political and social factors behind Voldemort's actions./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="349add0a48a9227918041652efcce77f""You see, there are some people in the wizarding community that believe magical people should not be in social contact with muggles, non magical folk." She was half way into a nod when a second of realization sprang to her eyes./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="3217a704e5df45d3685c20e6fd7104ed"" I'm not a muggle, am I ?" She asked wide eyed. Dumbledore smiled,/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="319761b14ab4337d2a975303077a4b06""No you are not a muggle, you have the ability to perform magic, a muggle does not. It is however possible for two muggles to give birth to a magical child. Certain people, like He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, believe that these witches and wizards born from muggles, who have just as much magical talent as you and me, are inferior, a disgrace to the wizarding world. Your father is out to eliminate all muggles, witches and wizards born by muggles, and anyone who opposes him."/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="bf25d2f0164c07c1ac3da5dc2ddda3ed""That's absolutely mad," she responded with tears in her eyes, working herself up into a state of remorse./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="8e3446d2fafa4de3425cde74981a86d2""Muggles are wonderful. They have fantastic visions and imaginations, our minds are the same. They have just as much right to this planet as us. I am so scared for them Albus."/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="cae84dd8a134aac057417339ccab71ad""That's why we are fighting for what is right." Dumbledore stretched out his arm toward her and rested a hand on her shoulder comfortingly. She found comfort in the wizard's twinkling blue eyes and through his touch she felt very complexed intentions, layers upon layers, but on a whole she was able to tell that they were for good. Dumbledore sensed something from his contact with her, and curiously pulled away./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="0a4dd894ef5236ca0c1e3776ffeec67f""Well, first we must address your magical training, you have no formal magical experience is that's correct?" He asked her./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="cc93cfc528e92bd9388b8420f46023ad""Yeah, I don't even have a wand." She added./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="bc97df35208cfbce4520f32fe1af0ae4""Yes, that's what I thought to be the case. So I have arranged for you to join us at Hogwarts this coming term" her face lit up in excitement./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="81389528f83de106caea7182725fd5c0""First we will have to create you a new identity, your father can have eyes in every room and we need to make sure you won't raise suspicion. So we have developed a back story for you if anyone so happens to inquire about you life. You were born in UK, muggle father and your mother a squib, when she realized you had the gift of magic she wanted to hide it from her husband so she repressed your powers and sent you away to a boarding school in Canada," Dumbledore began, seeing the flustered look on the girl's face,/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="36bfd06f1003cb766bd9d9a9701cfa0d""Don't worry, this is all written down," he assured her, and quickly continued./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="eadfe4b5318743bc298288397a664cd9""Now that you are 17 you were able to make the choice to break your mothers wishes and come to Hogwarts to learn magic, you see we needed something that would explain why you are coming to Hogwarts so late, understand?" He asked. She nodded/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="afb7cc28f73f4b0646c0bfdb92d8362c"" You will need a name and to change your appearance slightly, Severus has some potions to assist you with that, and then tomorrow morning he will accompany you to Diagon Alley to help you prepare for school." He glanced over at Severus, who was refusing to make eye contact./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="cdfcf19b38086ad54b9669d4facf0c34""I haven't any money to pay for supplies" she said heartbroken./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="d67257fb39985d09c9ba5f4a7a2f65ec""Ah, my dear don't you worry we have figured all of that out." Dumbledore assured her./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" data-p-id="9e378f2132346641c55499832dbe1605""Now Severus, can you take her to her bedroom for the evening and help her with the disguise?" Severus got up from his chair and gesture-less began to walk in the direction of her room. After he was 10 feet down the hall she finally understood to follow him, before she left she hugged Remus and thanked him, leaving him rather flustered by her contact. She turned to Dumbledore who she happily wrapped her arms around as well and whispering a thank you./p 


	7. Chapter 7

"What did you do!" she squawked. Looking at the floor after a sudden whip of his wand made her head feel curiously lighter.

"Assisting you," Snape responded, stepping over the pile of her freshly chopped dark hair. He grabbed a small glass bottle from the top of a wooden dresser and held it out to her.

"Drink," he said. She took the vile, accidentally grazing her fingertips over his. The roughness of his skin was unexpected, as the softness of hers was to him. The jarring contact left them both finding each other's eyes, which left them both in a scattered nervousness trying to focus their gaze on anything but one another.

"Thanks," she said quietly, still averting her eyes from his, scared to have to acknowledge that experience, or whatever that was between them just then. She put the small vile to her lips and quickly sipped the contents, leaving a lemony taste on her tongue.

"What was that?" She asked him. A quick dark smirk flashed on his face.

"Never drink a potion without identifying it first." he scorned.

"You told me to drink it!" she defended.

"Yes, however you cannot just do whatever anyone says," he snaps back.

"Yeah, but your not just anyone, I mean, I trust you," she said, looking up at him. He looked back at her, his dark eyes shaded by his furrowed brow. She trusted him? This girl trusted him. It was a concept he couldn't quite understand. Albus Dumbledore, he was sure was only person that he knew that really trusted him, and _that_ loyalty was under a very specific circumstance. Yet, she had only known him for a month or so, and she trusted him, as if it was instinctual.

"You shouldn't," he responded darkly. To which was immediately followed by a warm giggle from her.

"What does that even mean?" she laughed. He didn't respond.

"Can you make this regular sized again please?" She asked him pulling a very small box out of a pocket in her flowing deep purple robe. He nodded and asked her to set it on the ground and with a flick of his wand returned it to it's previous size.

"So what was that potion?" she asked casually while rummaging through the box of things, some of which he recognized her showing him during their time together once before.

"A hair lightening draught," he said.

"The effects will not be noticeable until morning," he continued, she nodded and picked up one of the books in her collection.

"What do you think about Alice?" her question immediately caught him off guard.

"I beg your pardon?" he said.

"The name. said I needed a name. Alice. Like from this book I like. Do you think it suits me?" she asked.

"Yes, that will do." he said, mindlessly flipping through an old book that was on the dresser beside him, trying to keep his hands busy and his eyes off her.

"What about a last name?" she asked him.

"I certainly can't go with Riddle." she said.

"It needs to be a muggle name, so people will believe I'm from a muggle family, you know? she continued, trying to peel his eyes away from the book he was staring at.

"What do you think Severus? You know more muggle last names than me, you pick."

"Evans." he said without looking up from the book.

"Alice Evans." he looked at her as her name fell from his lips like a tremorous whisper.

"Perfect." she said with a wide smile and he went back to his book.

"What will it be like at Hogwarts, _Professor?_ " she draws out the word with a smirk, as if entertained by the thought of him being an academic authority at school. He begins to tell her about the castle and some of the classes as she begins to look through the drawers in her new bedroom. She finds some very vintage looking, but clean night dresses that she decides would be rather nice to change into. She waits for a pause in his sentence and asks him to turn around.

"Whatever for?" he asks.

"I want to put this on," she holds up the garment.

"I can leave," he suggests.

"No it's okay, just flip around, it will only take a moment." he does what she asks. He was actually quite glad he was turned around so she couldn't possibly see how warm his face was getting as he heard her rustling out of her clothes.

"You can still talk you know," she said, breaking the silence, startling him out of his thoughts of her skin with nothing separating it from the air around them. The air that was also touching him. some Only Merlin knows why it felt so intimate to know that the air touching her bare skin was the same air he was breathing in. He managed to continue talking about the castle without even alluding how flustered his thoughts had gotten him. His sentence started so smoothly it impressed himself. She soon dismissed him from facing the opposite direction, and jumped onto the bed.

"So what did you say about a sorting" she asked after he had mentioned the tradition.

"Yes, each student is sorted into one of four houses for the duration of their time spent at Hogwarts, it determines what dormitory you will be staying in, or what class sections you'll be in, things of that matter" he clarified.

"Oh! Which is the best on to be in? Is it just random, what house you get put in?" she asks, seeming intrigued about the process.

"It is anything but random. A hat is placed on the student's head, it is charmed to use Legilimency and reads your thoughts to determine what house you belong in." he explained, only to see the spark in her eyes leading him to understand that his explanation only lead to more questions from the girl.

"Why a hat?" she asked. With that a rare event occurred. It didn't sound like much, almost like spastic breaths, but Severus Snape did indeed just laugh. Her bright giggle chimed along with him.

"What? she asked, in a rather high pitched voice between her giggles.

"Of all the things you could ask about the sorting ritual, you ask why it is a hat, it's the most extraneous detail of the matter."

"It's an important part! You know? Is there something special about this hat? Or could it of easily been another accessory? Like a scarf or a glove or..." he cut her ramblings off.

"The hat was Godric Gryffindor's," he answered, to a clueless face. He sighed.

"Do you want me to tell you about the founder's of Hogwarts?" he asked in his usually velvety monotone. She nodded excitedly and pat the empty spot next to her on the bed with a bright smile, the one he knew he could be swayed into anything with, that frightened him dearly.

She moved over to give him more space on the bed next to her. He sat down stiffly, unable to truly be relaxed sitting so closley to her. Regardless he begun the tale of the four founders, Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and what would be her very distant grandfather Salazar Slytherin. He told her how they established the school in the 10th century, and how they each decided to handpick the students for their houses based on certain qualities the student possessed.

"Gryffindor was a fair man, he believed that any child who displayed magical ability before their 11th birthday should be able to attend Hogwarts. However he greatly valued courage and bravery and believed these were the most virtuous attributes as person could have. Rowena Ravenclaw was a sharp and intelligent woman. She wanted Hogwarts to be the very finest wizarding school on Earth, and therefore intellect is a highly valued asset to students in her house. Helga Hufflepuff was a warm and kind woman, she had a rather egalitarian opinion of magical students and thought that every student deserved the education no matter who they were."

"She sounds nice," the girl said in a dreamy way, completely and utterly attentive to this information she was being given.

"Yes, some would say that, others would say she was weakening the student body, one of those people being an ancestor of yours, the fourth founder, Salazar Slytherin." she gasped.

"I'm related to one of the founders of Hogwarts?" she asked either out of excitement or disbelief.

"Yes, your father's mother's side I believe, anyway Slytherin believed only witches and wizards of pureblood," he hung on the word and looked to her to make sure she understood what he had ment by the term, she nodded once.

"A student with a magical father and mother, right?" she questioned.

"With a mother and father apart of wizarding families." he corrected. She sighed with an "ah" leading him to go on.

"He firmly believed that only students of pure magical families should be accepted at Hogwarts. This caused a great dispute with the other founders, which eventually led him to leave the school, but those in Slytherin house today are usually those who are pure of wizarding blood, with the ambition and cunningness he had himself." Severus finished.

"My father was in Slytherin wasn't he?" She asked.

"Yes he was, all ancestors of Slytherin are sorted into his house." he responded.

"Oh" she said with a certain dullness to her expression. This idea perplexed him as well. It was almost unknown for an ancestor of Salathar Slytherin himself to be placed in any other house but his own, but yet he could not picture this girl in Slytherin at all. He himself knew Slytherin students like no other, and he couldn't for the life of him see her fitting in with the other students in his house.

"I wonder what house my mother would have been in, if she was with father she must of been a Slytherin too, right Sev?" she asked.

"Probably so." he said, swallowing hard.

"What house were you in Severus?" she asked.

"Slytherin," he stated.

"I'm the head of the house," he elaborated.

"It must not be so bad then," she said looking up at him with a smirk teasingly. He shot her a exaggerated annoyed look that made her laugh.

"Well you better be getting to sleep now." he said breaking their lasting eye contact.

"Okay," she sighed. With a flick of his wand, all the lights from the bedroom went out and as he was getting up from his seat on the bed, he was startled by her grip his upper arm. He turned to her, unable to see her at all as his eyes had not yet adjusted to the dark.

"Severus, can you please stay?" she asks in a weak, but sweet voice that he can hear the anxiety in. This girl, he knew he shouldn't stay in this bed with her, but everything in him wanted her to feel safe, but something rumbled at the pit of his stomach at the thought that she felt safe with him after the lies he so easily fed her. He didn't say a word, but put down the pillow and laid down next to her. She quietly moved closer to him and nestled into his arm.

"Thank you Severus," she said, and finally closed her eyes.


	8. Chapter 8

I woke up, too disoriented by sleep to be fully aware of my new surroundings, and my new life away from my father. In only a moment I fully collected myself and was jolted to full consciousness when I realized Severus had left. I quickly turned to an dusty clock that hung on the wall near the door. It was just about noon. You see, I was used to sleeping in quite late, as there were less hours of the day to occupy myself with nothings. I dreaded being alone here in a bedroom once again, so in my new nightdress, which actually was a little snug for me. I quietly tiptoed out of my room towards the dining I had met with Dumbledore and the other men last night.

The hard wood beneath my feet felt rough and dusty, and I started to wonder if someone actually lived here. To my surprise I heard the pang of a mug against the table and the shuffling of a newspaper, someone was indeed there. Nervousness came over me slightly, anxious of who might be here, Dumbledore didn't exactly mention whose house this was. I approached the table anyway, the newspaper cover whom ever this person could be. Suddenly it slapped down on the table to reveal an unfamiliar young man. He wore round glasses and had dark hair that sat messily around his face. He looked like he maybe around the sane age as me, I don't think I have ever been around anyone even close to my age. He smiled at me and waved a little, I did the same. Both of us stood in silence for a few long beats, waiting to see if the other would say something first.

"I'm Harry, Harry Potter. This is my place, I mean that's why I'm here, at this table." He rambled with undertones of awkwardness. I had to wonder if it was me or if he was just not very social.

"I'm Alice. Alice Evans," I said, copying what he did.

"And I am here..." I began but was interrupted.

"Your Remus's niece." He said. It caught me off guard at first but I realized I was officially in the game of my new identity.

"Yes, I am, it's nice to meet you, and thanks for letting me stay here" I took a seat across from him.

"It's really not a problem at all, would you like some tea?" He asked.

"Sure, thank you" I responded.

"Kreacher!" He hollered. And a crusty old house elf came from the other room.

"Can you make some more tea for us please," Harry asked him. Kreacher nodded, looking incredibly unimpressed, until I caught his eye.

"Ah, finally got yourself a woman with some decent blood." The house elf gravelled as he walk towards the kitchen to make tea.

"Sorry about him he's quite horrid really, he came with the place." Harry apologized. I laughed.

"Don't worry, is this your family home?" I asked.

"No, it was my godfather's family estate, he left it to me when he passed away." He said.

"Oh I'm so sorry," I said sincerely.

"Thanks, his name was Sirius, he was actually best friends with your Uncle." Harry said.

"Oh yes, I remember hearing his name" I said.

"I wish I got the chance to meet him, he's sounds wonderful." I said.

"He was certainly something," Harry chuckled.

"You said your last name was Evans right?" He inquired casually.

"Yeah"

"That's funny, that was my mother's last name, she was also from a muggle family, it must be popular." He said

"It is pretty popular," I agreed blindly.

"Is your mother..." He interrupted me again, thankfully as I didn't really know how I was going to word the text of that question.

"She's dead, her and my father were both murdered by Voldemort when I was a baby, and he left me with this," he brushed his messy dark brown hair from his forehead to reveal a jagged scar, it looked like a lightening bolt, but what was even more interesting was his eyes. They were such a pure green, they even reminded me a bit of my own. They were so intriguing.

"That's horrible, I'm really sorry about your family Harry, and your forehead." I said remorsefully. He laughed which caught me off guard.

"My forehead thanks you" he said, I laughed with him.

"Is Severus here yet?" I asked him.

"Uh, no" Harry started,

"Dumbledore ask me to take you to Diagon Alley today instead, if that's alright?"

" Apparently Snape got caught up in something and isn't able to take you today," he continued.

"Oh," I said rather disappointedly. I was even surprised myself in the sunken feeling I got after knowing I wasn't going to be seeing him today.

"Well that's alright," I said with a bright smile, hopefully covering up my disappointment.

"I'm really excited," I told him. He smiled.

"You should be, it's like nothing you have ever seen."

Diagon Alley _was_ like nothing I had ever seen, or even imagined in that matter. It was beautifully chaotic, so many people and things to look at and delicious sweet smells filled the air.

"What do you think?" He asked standing beside me. I couldn't even make eye contact with him as they were to busy looking at everything else.

"This is truly magical" my cheeks hurt but I couldn't stop smiling, like the Cheshire Cat.

"First stop Olivander's, this is where I got my wand too."

"You have no idea how long I have been waiting for this day, if it ever came." I said in awe, standing outside Olivander's. The closer we got to the entrance the more nervous I was becoming. We both entered the shop, Harry gestured me to go through first, but I insisted I follow him.

The shop was smaller than I had expected. It was narrow shabby and had a thin layer and rather empty with the exception of a small spindly chair in the corner of the small room. Hundreds of narrow shelves holding thousands of slim boxes piled high up to the ceiling, holding what I imagined to be the wands. Right as we made our way up to the counter an old man came from the back looking extremely excited to see us.

"Harry! My boy! It's so good to see you!" the old man exclaimed. Harry nodded as smiled as if words escaping him. He asked Harry about his aura training and then turned to me with a smile.

"and you must be the love of his life," the man gushed as me and Harry protested quickly.

"Harry is accompanying me as it is my first time to Diagon Alley, I don't think I could manage without him," I laughed .

"Oh I see," he smiled as if not believing us. So are you two looking for a replacement or maybe repair?" He asked.

"I'm just looking for a wand in general," I said nervously.

"I'm a bit of a late bloomer you see," I tried to explain.

"Curious," he said, dragging the word out in thought. He stepped closer to the counter where I stood.

"Do you know what wands your parents yielded? He asked her.

"My parents are muggles," I lied, almost about to answer "yew and phoenix."

"Ah, I see." He nodded. We will have to start from scratch then.

He returned to the back of the store and looked down the shelves, settling on box and pulling it out. He brought it over and held out the open box to me. It had a clean edged handle made of a light warm wood. It felt like just a piece of wood in my hand, that immediate connection I was expecting was not there. It was quite disappointing. I felt like there must be something wrong with me, or maybe this is the way it was suppose to feel.

" A beautiful piece here, Applewood with a Phoenix core, give it a wave then," Olivander commanded.

I came back to reality and flicked the wand. I was immediately startled when all the dust in the small shop raised from all the surfaces and created a small twister which tore up papers and some empty wand boxes laying around and blew out the flames from all candles lighting up the shop desk.

"Nope!" Olivander exclaimed, as he pushed over some of the empty boxes on the floor to make a path to look upon another shelf.

"I am so sorry!" I responded feeling rather guilty for the damage I had caused.

"It is quite alright my dear," he said while searching through his shelves of inventory.

"It happens nearly everyday, nothing a little magic can't fix," he said with a smile as he carefully selected another wand box from a higher shelf and brought it over to me.

This one was a light wood as well, yet had almost a green undertone to the finish. it was a little heaver to the hand with sharper edges along the beautifully carved out handle. I looked to him again before giving the wand another wave. As I did the drawers on the store wall flew out of their compartments, the contents of each flying out on to the ground. I yelped from the startle and carefully put the wand on his desk.

"Nope! That's certainly not the one," Olivander said and returned to the back of the shop to search for another. He came back quickly with another

"Alright, let's give this one a try, Fir with a Dragon Heartstring." Olivander said while handing me another wand to try. This one was almost black, except the handle, which was very decorative, with a red warm wood carved into intricate swirls. I gave it a wave with a little more confidence with the last one. We all jumped when every piece of glass in the shop shattered simultaneously. The wand fell from my hand in fear.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry." I said in shock. I turned to Harry.

"Oh no! Your glasses, I'm so sorry Harry!" I said in a higher voice caused by my evident distress.

"That's alright," he said with a laugh and took his glasses off to check out the damage. His green eyes really did stand out with the round frames off his face. Olivander seemed to notice this as well from the way that he looked at Harry. He then looked straight at me strangely, peering into my eyes the same as he did to Harry, except this time with confusion and curiosity.

"Very interesting," he said under his breath as he walked back to the shelves to get another wand.

"What if nothing fits me, maybe I'm just destined to be a wand-less," I said to Harry. He bursted with a chuckle.

"Don't worry, it took me a couple of tries too, if anyone can find you a wand, it will be this man, trust me." he smiled at me reassuringly, and I smiled back. Harry was a really nice guy and I was really enjoying spending the day with him. Olivander sprang from the back with another wand box in hand. He held it out to me. This wand was rather lovely. The wood was ombre, with the light sand colour starting at the tip and growing into a dark orangey wood at the base. The handle was decorated in beautifully carved flowers and butterflies. When I held it in my hand for the first tim, it felt different from the others, it felt warm. I knew this was it. I waved it and all the glass that I had previously broken immediatly repared itself.

"Curious," Olivander breathed, which brought my attention to him

"Looks like we found your wand Miss... I'm sorry I never got your name."

" Alice, Alice Evans," I said rather nervously, it still sounded strange hearing my name coming out of my own mouth.

"Very curious, you know you aren't the first Evans to bear that wand," he said with a look of disbelief still on his face.

"Your mother, Mister Potter, was the first." he said. I could only imagine this was in fact the biggest coincidence. I looked at Harry who was quite stunned, but he said nothing. This can't be to out of the ordinary. I mean out of all the witches and wizards in the world, people are bound to posses the same one.

"You are quite like her to look at to my dear," Olivander said,

"Your parents are muggles you said?" he asked me.

"Yes," I answered.

"Maybe from the same squib line then." he suggested.

"Yes, maybe."


	9. Chapter 9

Alice and Harry walked down Diagon Alley with her new wand in hand. They had become quite chatty with each other over the short amount of time they had spent in each other's company. She had found out he was about two years older than her and had graduated Hogwarts two years ago. Now he was mostly working with the Order.

"Oh I almost forgot to give you this," Harry remembered, pulling a beige envelope from the pocket of his pants. It was a little crinkled from the envelope being a little large for his pocket. Alice slipped her wand into her side of her new hand-me-down boots she found at Grimmauld, and took the envelope in her hands. On the front in green ink wrote: Miss Alice Evans, First Floor Bedroom, 12 Grimmauld Place, Islington, London, England. A smile grew wildly on her face.

"I've never gotten a letter before!" She said excitedly. Harry laughed, he realized he had a lot more in common with her than he had thought he might.

"Then go on, let's hear," he suggested. She opened turned the envelope over, peering at the purple wax seal. On it was a badger, an eagle, a lion and a snake all surrounding a large H. She put it together quickly that it must have been from Hogwarts. Wondering about the animals she turned to Harry.

"What are these animals for?" She asked Harry.

"They are the mascots for each house," he said.

"Oh! Sev told me about those!" She elated. Harry chuckled.

"It's so weird that you call Snape that," Harry said.

"Why, that's his name!" She retorted.

"I know, but still, he's so, you know, a bit of a git."

"He is not!" Alice defended.

"Wait till you sit through a double potions with him, and then we will see." Harry scoffed.

"Well I guess he can be a little uptight sometimes but-" Harry cut her off.

"A little uptight? The man's wound tighter than his collar!" Harry exclaimed. Alice couldn't help but laugh along with Harry until she finally got around to opening her letter. It read;

 _Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

 _Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore_  
 _(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,_  
 _Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

 _Dear Miss Evans,_  
 _We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._  
 _Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July._  
 _Yours sincerely,_

 _ **Minerva McGonagall**_  
 _ **Deputy Headmistress**_

She flipped over to the second page.

 _Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

 _UNIFORM_  
 _First-year students will require:_

 _1\. Three sets of plain work robes (black)_

 _2\. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear_

 _3\. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)_

 _4\. One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)_  
 _Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags._

 _COURSE BOOKS_

 _All students should have a copy of each of the following:_

 _The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk_

 _A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot_

 _Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling_

 _A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch_

 _One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore_

 _Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger_

 _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander_

 _The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble_

 _OTHER EQUIPMENT_

 _1 wand_

 _1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)_

 _1 set glass or crystal phials_

 _1 telescope_

 _1 set brass scales_

 _Students may also bring, if they desire, an owl OR a cat OR a toad._

 _PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICK_

 _Yours sincerely,_

 _Lucinda Thomsonicle-Pocus_  
 _Chief Attendant of Witchcraft Provisions_  
 _Behind the scenes_

She was beyond elated, her mouth hurt from how wide her grin was. However her excitement quickly turned into a sigh.

"How am I ever going to afford all these things?" She wondered.

"Don't worry about it," Harry assured.

"My good friend Hermione Granger is in charge of everything for you, books and all. Hermione is training to be a professor so since you're I guess, 12 terms behind everyone your age, Dumbledore has assigned her as one of your personal tutors. So all we need to get are your robes, and don't worry I can handle that." Harry explained.

"Harry that is too much, are you sure?" She asked, not wanting to burden him with her extra expenses.

"Yeah of course, you know it wasn't long ago I was in your exact position, so it's just like paying it forward," Harry responded.

"Only if your absolutely sure," she clarified.

"Absolutely," he smiled at her, and with that her eyes, that he still couldn't believe were so similar to his, came to life once again.

"Thanks Harry," she said, wrapping her arm around him into a side hug as they walked down the busy cobblestone street.

"Anytime," he said as he hugged her back.

"So what house were you in Harry?" She asked curiously.

"I was in Gryffindor," he said proudly.

"What animal is that one?" she asked.

"The lion," he chuckled.

"Oh, that's cool! Gryffindor the brave right?" she asked with a smile.

"That's what they say,"

"Would you like to get some ice cream?" He asked after they broke apart.

"Sure! To be honest I have never had it before." She admitted.

"You've never had ice cream?" Harry couldn't believe his ears.

"Nope," she answered.

"A wand is one thing, but ice cream? Seriously?" Harry exclaimed.

"Yeah, never had it." she laughed.

"Well we have to get some now,"Harry said.

The two headed north to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, while the approached the shop Harry recognized someone he knew. He turned to Alice and subtly pointed her in the direction of a group of girls that looked standing around with ice cream were three girls that also looked about her age. One had thick curly dark hair and the other two had lighter brown colour, except ones was much longer than the other.

"That girl with the dark hair right there? She goes to Hogwarts too, the other two look kind familiar too. That's Romilda Vane, she would be in your year, I'm pretty sure, let's go say hi, you know so you have some familiar faces at Hogwarts, other than Snape." Harry said and went off to talk to the group of girls. They all smiled when they saw him come over, they must fancy him, Alice thought, he was rather handsome, and nice. She thought for a second whether she fancied him herself. She didn't think so, but she did feel something towards him she thought. She felt happy around him, but he didn't make her warm inside like Severus did. She felt her face getting hot with embarrassment when she caught herself filling her thoughts with him. She had also found Remus rather dreamy as well, she hoped she would get to see him again soon.

Harry called Alice over to meet the girls, as she walked over, smiling extra friendly like. She stood by Harry and waved to the group. The girl with dark hair, Romilda's faced dropped.

"This is Alice, she will be joining you guys next month at Hogwarts." Harry introduced her.

"..and Alice this is Romilda Vane, Aemilia Peregrine and Helia Bleumoon, they are all Gryffindors in your year." he explained. Alice smiled awkwardly, she could tell these girls were not the least bit interested in being her friends, or in her whatsoever.

"What house are you in? I don't recognize you at all," Helia asked.

"Um, I'm just transferring this year, so I haven't been sorted yet." she answered the girls.

"Right," Romilda snarked.

"We were actually just about to leave," she continued. The other girls nodded.

"Bye Harry," she said with a bright smile and a sweet tone and the three walked off whispering amongst themselves until they were out of Alice and Harry's sight.

"I don't like those girls Harry." Alice turned to him in all seriousness. Harry couldn't help but burst out laughing, and it was contagious as soon after Alice joined him in laughter.

"I know, they are kind of the worst, Romilda tried to sneak me a love potion in my 6th year." he admitted.

"That's bloody mad!" Alice exclaimed hitting his arm gently to enforce her shock. Harry continued to tell her about Romilda and his horrible encounters with her at Hogwarts. The two eventually got their ice creams, chocolate and raspberry flavoured with chopped nuts, which Alice absolutely loved. It brought Harry right back to his first time in Diagon Alley.

"So, so far Gryffindor doesn't seem so great Harry," she teased.

"Well I guess all houses have _those_ kinds of groups, but for the most part Gryffindor is great I swear, I mean your uncle was in Gryffindor, so maybe that's where you will end up too." he hinted.

"Remus? Crazy." she reflected.

"Yeah, my parents were in Gryffindor too, with Remus and my godfather Sirius, they were all mates." he told her. She smiled.

"That's really nice." she said.

"Did Severus go to school with them too?" she asked, frustrated that her mind was again, focused on him.

"Yeah, he was in Slytherin though, and as you will soon learn, Gryffindors and Slytherins don't get along." he explained.

"I see, personality clash I suppose?" she gulped, worried that when _she_ was sorted into Slytherin Harry would stop wanting to spend time with her.

"Exactly," he said.

"Not saying all Slytherins are bad," he continued,

"...but most of them are or will be followers of Voldemort, so especially in times like these it's best to stay away from those sorts Alice." he warned her. Her stomach dropped.

"But Harry, what if I am sorted into Slytherin?" she asked nervously.

"You won't be," he said and patted her on the back.

"Their is not a Slytherin bone your body, I can tell," he said assuringly. She smiled to him. However she knew that she did, with Slytherin blood running through her veins to match.


	10. Chapter 10

Snape apparated before Dumbledore's eyes at Grimmauld place. Upon his arrival he immediately dropped to his knees as his legs gave out. Breathing heavily, exhausted from the pain he tried to rise again to his feet on his own, but failed again hitting the floor. Dumbledore helped him to a chair, he winced from the pain. Dumbledore held him out a vile of a very thick gold potion which he gulped quickly.

"Cruciatus?" Dumbledore asked solemnly. Severus stiffly nodded, talking another long sip of the potion, sitting a little more comfortably as the potion began to minimize his pain.

"I'm sorry Severus," Dumbledore began.

"It's alright," he said.

"Does he know?" Dumbledore asked.

"He is becoming greatly concerned. They tore the whole place up, I think he still thinks it has to be an inside job, as only a few of us knew of her existence, so we are all walking on very thin, very sharp ice." Severus said.

"Your home, Severus? Dumbledore questioned.

"Yes, he was confident I had her there, didn't leave a single thing untouched, I still have a feeling he believes I'm the cause of her disappearance, it's better that he keeps thinking that, as we can't risk him questioning you or Potter's involvement in this matter." Severus replied. Dumbledore nodded.

"Yes, but you can't keep taking this kind of torture over and over again Severus, we won't be able to keep this up, we will need to make a plan." Dumbledore sounded anxious. Severus agreed.

"Is she here, at this moment?" Severus asked him.

"No, she is still out shopping with Harry," Dumbledore informed him. Severus breathed in irritatedly.

"You know I could have taken her," Severus said.

"Yes, but I didn't want it to burden you with what happened today, so I thought it would be a good idea for her and Harry to spend sometime together, as they will be roommates before she starts at Hogwarts." Dumbledore explained.

"She's not a burden to me," Severus said, wishing he didn't.

Dumbledore smiled.

"There is nothing of the romantic fashion going on between the two of you?" Dumbledore asked with an almost teasing quality.

"Not in the slightest," Snape answered feeling the red flush slowly over his pale face frustrated him.

" I see," Dumbledore responded. Dumbledore was ready to ask another question when Harry and Alice appeared in the fireplace with a few bags in hand.

"Ah great to see you two," Dumbledore said with a warm smile as Alice was turned around trying to wipe floo powder and dust from the front of her robe.

"Evening sir,"Harry said with a smile to Dumbledore, and then turned to Snape.

"Evening Professor," he said to his old Potions teacher, in a much more aloof tone than what he used with Dumbledore.

"Evening Potter," Snape said back matching his tone. Alice was satisfied with the cleanliness of her robe and greeted Dumbledore kindly. Then something happened that Harry could never had imagined. Alice put down her bags and quickly skipped over to Snape and brought her arms around him. Harry's jaw dropped. After a whole 7 years he had known this man, he had not yet once seen him hug anyone, especially the way he was hugging her. Though it only lasted a second or so Harry saw him close his eyes when his arms held her, and colour coming to his usual dull face.

"Severus were did you go this morning, I thought you were going to take me?" She asked with disappointment, though Harry could tell she was trying to hide it.

"I apologize, but something had me tied up," he said vaguely.

"Well that's alright," she said. With that she pulled out her wand from her boot and held it in front of his face.

"Look!" She elated. That's when Snape did something else Harry had never seen him do, smile. He had wished either Ron or Hermione was here to see it, because there is no way they would ever believe him. He looked interested in what she was saying, it looked so foreign to Harry, watching Snape interact with another person so pleasantly. Dumbledore must have caught him staring as he cleared his throat to get Harry's attention.

"Did the shopping trip go well?" Dumbledore asked Harry, while Alice was showing Snape her new things.

"Yeah, it was fun," Harry said distracted with Snape's interaction with Alice.

"Professor, are they... Friends?" Harry asked curiously.

"They do seem to get along quite well don't they," Dumbledore agreed.

"I don't understand, how do they even know each other." Harry asked.

"Before she moved in here, she stayed with Severus for a week while Remus was recovering from the full moon." Dumbledore explained.

"Sir she could have stayed here," Harry suggested.

"That's very thoughtful of you Harry," Dumbledore smiled.

"Would you leave us for a few moments?" Dumbledore asked Harry.

"Yeah, course" he said and carried the bags to Alice's room.

Alice was in the midst of begging Snape to teach her a spell when Dumbledore cleared his throat to catch their attention.

"I'm afraid you father is looking for you quite aggressively my dear," Dumbledore told her. Her eyes grew bigger as her heart sank.

"Does he know where I am?" She asked, he voice trembling, moving closer to Snape.

"Not yet, but I'm afraid it's only a matter of time," he admitted. She began to sob, leaning into Snape, who, without even thinking wrapped his arms around the girl like it was an immediate reflex. It was as if Dumbledore wasn't even there, the way he began to play with her now short blonde hair. He whispered in her ear and it shot goosebumps all over her body.

"You need to be strong now. You will be safe, but you need to be smart. I won't let anything happen to you, we will do this as a team, okay?" he whispered, waiting for her response. She sniffled, bit back her tears and looked up at him and nodded. Her face and eyes were puffy, red and glossy with tears, yet he thought she was just as beautiful as she always was.

"What should I do?" She asked turning to Dumbledore.

"I have a plan, it's risky, but I think it could work" Dumbledore responded.

"You need to go back to your father. You need to convince him you went on your own to find Harry Potter yourself to win his trust, and that you are starting to succeed. Tell him you want to spy for him, be a direct line to Harry." he said. She looked back at Snape, she saw everything in his black eyes to know that this was the only way. She agreed. Tonight she would go by herself, back to the house in which she thought she just escaped and if she made it, she would be a double agent, just like Severus.


	11. Chapter 11

It had been dark for a while now. Alice had just gotten back in the clothes she had arrived in, and Severus performed a glamour charm to look exactly the way she did before she left that bedroom. She had gone over the plan with Severus. He giving had given her tips of what to say or how to act depending on how Voldemort reacted, but she still felt very under prepared. No amount of time or training could help that. She waited in the front hall for Severus to help her apparate back to the mansion. She stood their with her wand in her hands practicing some of the movements Severus had shown her earlier that day. As he finally arrived to meet her in the front hall she held out her wand to him, and he took it and put in the pocket of his robe next to his own wand.

"Please keep it safe," she said with her eyes gently barring into his own. He couldn't help but get lost in the green that once consumed him before.

"Always," he uttered, referring to her more than her wand. This made her smile, and blush as she looked up at him with a smirk.

"Alright, I guess it's time, isn't it," she said, as her smile faded.

"I'm afraid so," he replied.

"This is for the best," she said, as if trying to reassure herself looking at the ground.

"With that courage you will surely to be sorted into Gryffindor when you get to Hogwarts," Snape said trying to cheer her up, as he put a hand on her shoulder. The heat of her skin under her thin dress gave him the warmest feeling in his stomach. He detested the way she made him feel. She scoffed quietly,

"I'm not being brave, I just have to do what's best for everybody else," she said her sentence trailing off in the end.

"You were the one that told them to rescue me, weren't you Severus? She asked nervously, but not afraid of meeting his dark eyes with hers. All he could do was nod his head slowly, as he saw the tears forming in her eyes. Before he knew it she slammed into him, wrapping her arms around him. By instinct, he held her back, very conscious of his right hand on her upper back bringing her slowly closer to him and the other trailing down her back. She relaxed her head in the crook of his neck as he brought her nearer. They stayed like that, silent, in each others arms for a few precious moments, until a pop rang in their ears and the wood floors of Grimmauld Place that was once underneath them was replaced by dewy grass. She still clung to him, and he to her, both knowing full well the reality that faced them after they part.

"You better go," he said, pulling himself away from the sweet scent of her hair that he had let consume him.

"Just one more minute," she said, holding him even tighter, likewise taking in breathfulls of him, each more entrancing than the one before it. He smiled, appreciating the single most happiest experience he had ever remembered feeling. Something inside him sparked, it was a combination of emotions, but the one that he could identify best was rage. He would not let Voldemort take his happiness away from him again. However he knew that this was bound to be the reality, and he couldn't handle that kind of loss again in his life, he couldn't. He released his embrace of her and nodded.

"You should go," he said in a colder tone than she was used to hearing from him. She looked up at him, and brought her face closer to his. He couldn't take his eyes off hers, until her soft lips kissed his cheek. He became frustrated at how his heart skipped when she did. He hated that he lost control of his emotions when he was around her. It made him angry and he pulled away from her.

"That was inappropriate." he scolded, taking her aback. Her face turned a beet red in embarrassment. He saw the hurt and shame in her eyes and though it pained him, he knew he had accomplished what he intended to. She released her hold on him and stalked off anxiously backwards.

"I'm so sorry," she began nervously.

"I shouldn't have done that, I thought that we, or well I thought that you... well, I'm sorry, I really shouldn't have..." she rambled incoherently as tears were brewing the corners of her eyes. She fought them back magnificently he thought admirably.

"You are just a child, and I am your professor, please don't get that confused," he said coldly, he had many years of practice hiding his feelings, and this wasn't any different. It was at that moment something changed in her eyes.

"Severus I'm sure you can understand why I find it very difficult to believe you actually mean that, but I understand why you are doing this, it's hard to lose the things we care about, don't you think?" she turned her statement to him. He was stunned. Could she actual see through him like this? Had he let on for too long his true feelings for her? For once he didn't know what to say back to her. The truth the only thing stopping them from being together was his own selfishness, for his own protection of his emotions, and his heart.

" You can say I'm naive, or that I'm _just a child_..." she said in a mocking tone.

"which is complete rubbish, but from that first time we met, and from the first time my hand touched yours, I knew I would fall in love with you Severus." she said, him absolutely astounded by how her soft voice uttered those very words, about him. He couldn't even fathom it.

"and I did."she finished.

"Sev can you even tell me you don't feel the same things I do?" she asked him. He could hardly bring himself to look her in the eyes.

"I do not, you silly child." He spat. She swallowed hard.

"I'll see you in class Professor," and she walked calmly towards the front doors of the mansion.


	12. Chapter 12

Alice stalked off towards the mansion. At the moment the fear she had of her father was overwritten by the frustration she felt towards Snape. She knew he didn't mean what he said, but that made it all the more infuriating. She knew he felt more for her than just some student. For instance, she recalled him caressing her cheek when he thought she was asleep that night she stayed with her. She had even caught him starting at her once in a while. All this and the fact that she could sense what he felt for her that time they touched hands when he visited her for the first time. She just didn't understand why despite his feelings he didn't want to be with her. Was it because he was embarrassed of her? Was it because of who she was? She wanted to just rip him out of her thoughts.

When she finally made it to the door, she knocked right away, not giving herself the chance to chicken out. After a few moments she heard someone scamper to the door and the small metal creaks of the latch to the peephole. Soon enough the door was opened by Peter Pettigrew who bellowed in excitement from her return. Her stomach ached from his presence. He was especially amorous with her and it made her ill.

"My darling dark princess! You have returned!" He shrieked kneeling before her and kissing her hand so much he was practically sucking off her knuckle.

"Yes Wormtail, is my father here?" She asked pulling her hand away and wiping it off on her cloak.  
"Yes he is my darling and he has been worried sick about you." He said with over dramatized pathos, as Voldemort appeared from the black fog that slunk into the room before them. As he appeared in his full form he backed her up into the wall with his wand on her neck.

"Daughter, so you return, after defying me by leaving." He said driving his wand harder into her neck as he spit each word at her. Though she was disappointed and even angry at what Severus had said to her, she knew his advice was crucial, and kept as calm as she could, like he said to.

"I'm sorry Dark Father for my divergence. I felt necessary to prove that I can be of service to you, instead of just taking up space in your house. I hope you can understand my intentions."

"Isn't that a convenient tale my darling," he cooed, with the white tip of his wand still planted into her neck as his spidery fingers tangled through a piece of her hair, making her feel very nervous.

"I would very much appreciate it if you would tell me the truth my dear child." he said quietly before shouting 'Crucio." The pain was so intense, so all-consuming, it made her legs buckle and she fell to the ground. It felt as if white-hot knives were piercing every inch of her skin and left her screaming in a way in which she had never done in her entire life.

"Potter!" she screamed fighting the pain that was consuming her mind. Voldemort's attention was immediately seized at the mention the name.

"I got Potter!"she shrilled again, and Voldemort halted the curse.

"Explain yourself!" he demanded of her before she even began to feel the release from the pain. Her sentences came out jumbled as she was still disoriented from the curse.

"I found Potter, we met, I wanted to gain his trust so I could lead him to you. I found him at Diagon Alley, he asked if I was a student at some school, I told him I was and he helped me look for books. He said that if I ever needed any help or lessons to owl him. I think he might even fancy me," she added, Severus had told her to make it seem like she had Harry wrapped around her finger. She was still on the floor in front of him, trying her best not to get a glimpse of his dirty, stone-like bare feet.

"You lie," he howled.

"I swear to you Dark Father,"she pleaded. It was then she felt him enter her mind, he had casted the _Legilimency_ spell _non-_ verbally, just as Severus had warned her he would. She had prepared herself with moments for Voldemort to see. She showed him Harry walking with her down Diagon Alley, buying her ice cream and hugging her.

"So you are speaking of the truth my daughter, I was wrong to have doubted you, but I'm sure you understand my concern."

"Yes Dark Father." She replied meekly as he held out his long cold hand to help her to her feet.

"I appreciate your will, and cunningness my daughter. This pleases me very much, I assure you." He said placing his hand on her head, the coldness of his skin sent a shiver down her spine."

"He asked you if you were a student yes? At Hogwarts?" He asked, now clearly in a better sense of mind than before.

"Yes Hogwarts! That's what he said, I recognize the name." She exclaimed.

"So he thinks your a student there," he says trailing of in thought.

"Father what is Hogwarts?" She asked him, not wanting to let him know she already knew about it.

"It is a school for witches and wizards to learn magic. I attended myself when I was young. It used to be somewhat credible, before Albus Dumbledore let even more muggle born scum through the doors."

"I see." She responded stoned faced.

"I already have one spy keeping watch on Dumbledore, but if Potter already trusts you it might not be a bad idea to have another." At this realization Voldemort pointed his wand to his arm and in just a few moments Severus apparated before them.

"Hello my lord," he said, his velvety voice ringing through her ears once again. He turned to her, looking at her with what appeared to be concern.

"My lord, you found her." He said with shock in his voice. She was impressed, Severus was giving an indistinguishable performance. She couldn't help but admire him, the way he seemed so fearless deceiving Voldemort. For the first time she wondered why he desired to play both sides, why he would he take such risks to lie to Voldemort for Dumbledore, unless he had a death wish. She couldn't imagine anyone choosing that fate, unless it was necessary.

"Yes, you wouldn't believe it but the child had gone off on her own," Voldemort cackled.

"Darling you remember Severus?" he asked Alice. She nodded as he quickly continued on.

"You see Severus, she sought out Potter, made an impression on him, she wants to keep an eye on him for me." He said with a smile stretched across his face.

" and she succeeded finding him my lord?" Severus asked.

"She did, if I would have known the boy would have been so quick to be friendly with her I would have used her before."

"So how should we proceed with the girl now my lord." Severus asked, his eyes trailing back to her.

"Well Severus, I have another proposition for you. I want you to take the girl, make sure she gets into Hogwarts, I will get Karkaroff to make some students records for her so Dumbledore won't be able to trace her back to us."

"Brilliant my lord,"'Severus praised in his usual monotone.

"This shall give you plenty of time to spend with the girl Severus," Voldemort grinned again.

"Yes, thank you my lord."

"You understand your role here my darling? Voldemort turned to Alice.

"You are to act as a student at Hogwarts, you are to keep in touch with Potter, befriend his other pathetic followers and with any new information you get you go directly to Severus with it," Alice nodded assuringly. At that he grabbed her arm and pressed his wand against the inside of her forearm. In fear she glanced up at Severus who looked at her with a mixture of what she thought was shock and remorse.

"Are you sure the mark is necessary my lord? Severus spoke up, she couldn't believe it, no one questioned her father's decisions.

"It seems such a shame to cover such innocent, beautiful skin," he hung on every word and for a moment she was completely distracted as his voice made her feel warm inside. What was he saying? About her? In front of her father! Unexpectedly Voldemort erupted with a laugh.

"Severus, I'm sure it won't be so innocent after the first night in your dungeons at Hogwarts will it?" Snape went silent. With that, a big black skull began to saturate into her skin, with a snake coiling through it down her arm. It was the mark. She could feel tears weld up in her eyes, but she didn't dare letting them go. She looked at Snape who wasn't even looking at her at all, he was looking at everything but her. She winced in pain as Voldemort finished and the mark had taken full shape on her arm. She wanted to pull her eyes away from the ghastly mark yet she couldn't, not because she liked the way it look, but the exact opposite. It was so traumatizing she couldn't help but think if she started at it long enough she would wake up from this nightmare, or maybe she was more powerful than it and it would just fade away. The more she starred at the more concrete it became that it was not going away. He let her arm go and stalked off down the foyer with Pettigrew following after him.

"Severus, it wouldn't be too much to ask for her to stay with you until the term starts next week?"

"That is no trouble my lord," Severus responded. 'Oh great' she thought, realizing she would now have to discuss and acknowledge Severus much sooner than she intended to after their previous tiff.

"Thank Severus darling," Voldemort demanded as if her silence had come to annoy him.

"Thank you," she said, avoiding eye contact with the man.

"Well before you leave, I must assure you my daughter, if you disobey me, or Severus again you will suffer a worse fate than Potter." Voldemort spoke, almost in a whisper, making her flushed with fear.

"I promise I will not Dark Father," she said.

"Your word means practically nothing to me, you greatly disobeyed me by leaving without my consent, your disobedience is clearly a trait you inherited from your filthy muggleborn mother, I couldn't dare waste another spell on your filth today." he spat at her. Her mother. This was the first time she had ever heard anything about her mother from Voldemort himself. She was a muggleborn? It made no sense to her. Why would Voldemort ever be with a muggleborn, let alone have a child with her? She wondered if there was a time when he had fallen in love with her, but she couldn't imagine Voldemort being able to love anyone, as she was his own daughter and he certainly didn't love her.

"Severus, will you?" he turned to Snape, who looked at Voldemort and then fetched his wand from his pocket, careful to pick his own, and pointed it at Alice.

"Crucio," he called, with so little emotion it was as if he had no life in him at all.

Voldemort smiled to himself as he walked into the darkness, with Pettigrew in tow as Alice's bloodcurdling screams echoed through the house.

The pain had gone on so much longer than before , hours longer she was sure, but her sense of time had lapsed. The pain was so all-consuming that she didn't even know where she was, or when it had finally stopped. All she could remember was the sharp stings of pain she felt when he tried to lift her up as if her body had been covered in deep purple bruises. The absolute last thing she remembered was inhaling the smell of his cloak.


	13. Chapter 13

Alice woke with a throbbing pain in her head. Still feeling disoriented from sleep she debated whether to open her eyes. After failing her attempt to go back to sleep she finally peeled her very sealed eyelids from each other and came to the realization that she had no idea where she was. She was in a smallish room, lying in the middle of a queen sized bed with dark satin sheets. The walls around her were decorated with very dated wallpaper that you could hardly see as it was covered by many shelves filled with books. It was also at this moments she discovered that she was in only her undergarments and began feeling very nervous. Suddenly she heard footsteps coming towards the room. She quickly returned to her previous position on the bed and pretended to be sleeping. She felt the presence enter and at the sound of it clearing it's throat she knew it to be Severus. She quickly remembered what he had done to her. She understood why he had to obey Voldemort, but it still made her feel sick. That this man she had learned to care about could look at her and do what he did, without even hesitating. She felt him looming over her and his hand press against her forehead. She completely forgot about pretending to be asleep and flinched at his touch, and jolted up the bed to further herself from him.

"You're awake," he stated. She could see fragments of hurt in his eyes and it upset her until she remembered what he did and said to her the last time she was awake.

"Where are my clothes Severus?" she asked as calmly as she could, despite the anger that heated her words. He scoffed.

"Leave it to a silly girl like you to be worried about something so insignificant..." she cut him off before he could continue.

"I don't consider waking up in a strange bed in just my underwear a insignificant detail!" she spat back at him.

"You have been out for almost a week," he asserted angrily, hardly moving his lips.

"I had to have access to your skin to apply the salve and make sure you were healing properly." he continued.

"You put a salve on me!? So it's inappropriate for me to kiss you but stripping me down and rubbing salve all over me is completely within Severus's guidelines of appropriateness?" She questioned now raising her voice, something Severus never did before to her.

"You were in no shape to go untreated..." He began but she interrupted again.

"Because you cursed me!" He lost his temper and with a quick motion he became only inches away from her, practically pinning her to the head board.

"You know I had no choice you insolent little girl. You of anyone should know the importance of loyalty in front of the Dark Lord."

"You hurt me Severus," she said staring back at at his dark eyes with tears forming in hers.

"You hurt me!" She shouted in his face, urging him to do something, she wanted to see some kind of emotion on his face or in his eyes. She wanted to push him to feel something. He quickly grabbed her face with each of his hands on either cheek.

"You say it as if it didn't hurt me to do it," he boomed. His eyes barring into her own. She was mesmerized. The whole time she had known him she had never seen such emotion in his eyes. She didn't dare move, she just looked at him. Taking in the warmth from his hands and his breath which she couldn't explain, but liked the smell of it very much. Before she even had time to process, the inch between them became a centimetre and then a millimetre until their lips touched ever so softly. She could barley distinguish whether it was real or not. Keeping still she waited for him to take it farther, not being able to stand being rejected by him again. To her surprise he did. His hands trailed from caressing her cheeks to roaming around in her hair as he pressed his lips harder against hers. Feeling his body press further into her own half naked body was filling her up with butterflies but she knew if she went as far as she wanted right now he would hurt her. She cupped his own face with her hands and after one more soft movement of his lips on hers she pulled away.

"Severus," she uttered.

"You were right the first time, we can't do that," she managed to say seeing his eyes gloss over with hurt.

"Your right, I am your professor and it is..." She interrupted him.

"It's not that Sev, I love you and I know you don't feel it the same way I do," she said with tears forming by the end. He immediately brought her into his arms as she weeped quietly.

"Alice, I do love you." He murmered playing with her hair making her ears tingle. Her heart raced at the sound of those words coming out of his mouth. It surprised her in all honesty, she never thought he would admit it, not now at least. She knew the first day they met that he had feelings for her, however, she could tell he regretted them.

"But you wish you didn't, that's what I mean." She said.

"Of course as a Professor I wish I wasn't in love with my student." He admitted.

"But it shouldn't matter, we have known each other before I was your student, I know there is more to it than that and your just not telling me," he just looked at her.

"Then let me see," she went to grab his hand and he let her without resistance. She interlaced his fingers in hers and he felt a buzz between them. It was familiar to him, from the first time she had held his hand. At first he had wondered if it was just his lust for her, but now he was sure it was something more, some kind of magic. She quickly let go as the life fell from her eyes.

"What did you do," he implored, his low voice hummed in her ears. She starred at him with tears in her eyes.

"You love someone else." she whispered. He couldn't say about that, he felt sick with how vulnerable she made him feel.

"Who is she Severus," she whimpered.

.He grabbed hold of her shoulders more aggressively than he should have and he did something he had never done to her, or even any other student of his. He shouted at her.

"What did you do to me," he shook her as if in a trance, boring each word into her until she grabbed his face with her soft hands, then he stopped.

"I am sorry," he said, his eyes pleading with hers.

"What did you do," he asked.

"I had to I'm sorry Severus, but you never tell me anything, it was the only way to find out how you actually felt about me, who is she Severus?" she asked again.

"That is none of your business," he jeered with less temperment than before the warmth of her hands calming him down.

"What did you do to me," he pressed on.

"I just felt what you were feeling," she admitted.

"I know it is probably looked down upon to do it without consent, but I had to know Severus, I'm really sorry," she said now softly playing with his hair.

"You didn't use Legilimency," he stated. She just shook her head, her eyes stained red from her tears.

"How did you read my thoughts then." he asked.

"I didn't read your thoughts, I just felt what you were feeling, you know," she said, unaware that her ability was very unique.

"I don't," he conceded.

"Show me again," he asked. She nodded and took his hand, and before he knew it he felt the slight vibration again.

"You are feeling what I am?" he asked. She nodded again.

"Tell me." he demanded.

"I the strongest things I feel are guilt, grief and love, but it's as if it's split. I can tell that some of it is for me, but not all of it." she responded, finding it hard to say it and look at him at the same time. She felt uncomfortable with him knowing that she knew all the sadness he felt and frustrated that she knew he wouldn't talk to her about it. He got up abruptly and stormed out of the room.

"Severus!" she called after him. He came back and tossed some greyish clothes at her. She looked through them, a white collared blouse, a grey pleated skirt, stockings, a grey knit pull over sweater and a black robe with an H on it.

"Change quickly please," he suggested.

"We don't have much time." he left the room again and came back with a trunk.

"What is all this," she asked.

"I told you, you had been out for a week, it is September 1st and you will need to be leaving for Hogwarts in less than an hour."

"But what about all my..."

"Everything of yours has been taken from Grimmauld Place and in this trunk, you can thank Potter for that, now hurry up and I will apparate you to King's Cross to board the train." he interrupted as she began to button up the new white shirt.

"I'm taking the train to Hogwarts? Why can't you just apparate me there?" she whined.

"Because every other student will be on the train," he declared.

"But they are all like a million years younger than me," she sighed.

"You are being ridiculous, there are many students in their seventh year that are your age." he corrected.

"But I won't know anybody, are you at least going to take the train with me?" she inquired with puppy eyes, hoping they would persuade his answer as she got up to put on her skirt.

"No I will not be, I have to meet with your father first, and then I will arrive to Hogwarts in time for the opening ceremonies.

"Seeeeevvvvvveeerrrrruuuussssss," she said in a drawn out moan. He shot her a look that told her he was not impressed with her response.

"I really don't want to go on the train, can't I just apparate with you when you get back?" she pleaded.

"No you may not, Dumbledore has already insisted that you take the train, and has even arranged for Lupin to escort you and show you around the castle so you didn't have to be shuffled about with the first years, and you should be grateful for that." he informed her, ignoring how her eyes lit up at the mention of Lupin.

"Remus is going to be there?" she asked him, in a much more pleasant tone than the last time she spoke.

"Yes he will be meeting you at King's Cross and taking the train with you." he said.

"Well that's fine then, I just didn't want to be alone." she mumbled as she put on the black robe.

"How do I look?" she asked him, now standing in front of him fully put together in her uniform. He moved closer to her, bringing his warm lips to her ear.

"I think I preferred you in what you were wearing before." he whispered teasingly. Her face became warm with blush as a smile spread leaving her giggling.

"Severus!" she squeaked and smacked him lightly on the chest. He smiled at her and for a single moment he felt only one of the feelings she had felt from him, it wasn't guilt and it wasn't grief, it was love, for only her.


End file.
